Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (36 page)

men and brethren, who are convened in

Marcellus their patron; his house was

the name of Jesus Christ, Satan the decalled the house of the pilgrims and poor.

ceiver sends his arrows upon you too, to

To him the emperor said, ‘I will give you

make you leave the way. But do not be

no office, lest you rob the provinces to

disloyal, brethren, nor fail in your mind,

benefit the Christians.’ To this Marcellus

but strengthen yourselves, stand fast, and

replied, ‘Yet everything that is mine is

doubt not. For if Satan has subverted me,

yours.’ Caesar said to him, ‘It would be

whom the Lord esteemed so highly, so

mine if you kept it for me, but now it is

that I denied the light of my hope, causnot mine, since you give it to whom you ing me to fall and persuading me to flee

please, and who knows to what low peoas if I believed in a man, what do you ple?’ This, brother Peter, we know and

think will happen to you, who have just

report to you, now that the great benevbecome converted? Do you imagine that olence of the man has been turned into

he will not subvert you to make you enblasphemy. For had he not been changed emies of the Kingdom of God and to

we certainly should not have left the holy

bring you by the worst error into perdifaith in God our Lord. Now this Marceltion? For every one whom he deprives of lus is enraged and repents of his good

the hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is a

deeds and says, ‘So much wealth have I

child of perdition for all eternity. Repent,

spent for such a long time in the foolish

therefore, brethren whom the Lord has

belief that I spent it for the knowledge of

chosen, and be firmly established in the

God.’ In his rage he even goes so far that

Almighty Lord, the Father of our Lord

when a pilgrim comes to the door of his

Jesus Christ, whom no one has ever seen

house he beats him with a stick or has

nor can see except he who believes in

him driven off and says, ‘If only I had

him. Understand whence the temptation

not spent so much money on those imhas come for you. For I came not only posters!’ And he utters many more blasfor the sake of convincing you with phemies. But if you have something of

words that he whom I preach is the

the compassion of our Lord in you and

Christ, but by reason of miraculous deeds

the goodness of his commandments, help

and powers I exhort you by faith in Jesus

this man in his error for he has shown

Christ. Let no one wait for another savior

goodness to a great many of God’s serbesides him who was despised and whom vants.” When Peter learned this he was

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NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

very greatly moved and said, “Oh, the

When Peter had spoken with great

9

manifold arts and temptations of the desorrow of soul many more believvil! Oh, the cunnings and devices of the ers were added to the congregation. And

evil one, treasuring up to himself the

the brethren entreated Peter to fight with

great fire in the day of wrath, destruction

Simon and not allow him to disturb the

of simple people, a ravening wolf depeople any longer. And without delay vouring and destroying eternal life! You

Peter left the meeting and went to the

enticed the first man to evil lust and by

house of Marcellus where Simon was

your former wickedness and bodily bond

staying. And a great multitude followed

bound him to you. You are the fruit of

him. When he came to the door he sumbitterness, which is entirely bitter, inducmoned the keeper and said to him, “Go ing various desires. You have forced my

and tell Simon, ‘Peter, on whose account

fellow disciple and co-apostle Judas to

you left Judaea, awaits you at the door!’ ”

act wickedly and betray our Lord Jesus

The door-keeper answered and said to

Christ; you must be punished. You hard

Peter, “I do not know, sir, if you are Peter.

ened the heart of Herod and kindled Phar

But I have instructions. Knowing that you

aoh and made him fight against Moses,

arrived yesterday in the city, he said to

the holy servant of God; you emboldened

me, ‘Whether he comes in the day or at

Caiaphas to deliver our Lord Jesus Christ

night or at whatever hour, say that I am

to the cruel multitude; and now you are

not at home.’ ” But Peter said to the

still firing your poisonous arrows at inyoung man, “You were right to tell me nocent souls. You wicked foe of all, you

this, although you have been forced by

shall be cursed from the church of the

him not to tell me.” And Peter, turning

Son of the holy, almighty God and extinaround to the people, who followed him, guished like a firebrand thrown from the

said, “You are about to see a great and

fireplace by the servants of our Lord Jewonderful sign.” And Peter saw a big sus Christ. Let your blackness turn

dog, tied by a big chain, and he went and

against you and against your sons, the

loosened him. The dog, being loosed,

wicked seed; let your wickedness turn

became endowed with a human voice and

against you, also your threats, and let

said to Peter, “What will you have me

your temptations turn against you and

do, servant of the ineffable living God?”

your angels, you beginning of iniquity,

to which Peter said, “Go inside and tell

abyss of darkness! Let the darkness

Simon in the presence of the people, ‘Pewhich you have be with you and your ter sends word to you to come outside.

vessels which you own. Depart, there

For on your account I have come to

fore, from those who shall believe in

Rome, you wicked man and destroyer of

God; depart from the servants of Christ

simple souls.’ ” And the dog ran away at

and from those who will serve in his

once and went into the midst of the peoarmy. Keep for yourself your garments ple who were with Simon, and lifting his

of darkness; without cause you knock at

front legs he said with a very loud voice,

strange doors which belong not to you

“Simon, Peter, who stands at the door,

but to Christ Jesus who keeps them. For

bids you to come outside in public; for

you, ravening wolf, will carry off the

he says ‘On your account have I come to

sheep which do not belong to you but to

Rome, you wicked man and destroyer of

Christ Jesus, who keeps them with the

simple souls.’ ” When Simon heard this

greatest diligence.”

and saw the incredible occurrence he lost

THE ACTS OF PETER

141

the words with which he was deceiving

you, upon whom he laid his hands, whom

the onlookers, and all were amazed.

he has also chosen, with whom he even

performed miraculous deeds—if you

10 When Marcellus saw this he doubted, therefore I also repent, and reran outside and fell down belying upon his testimony I resort to your fore Peter and said, “Peter, holy servant

intercession. Receive me, who have

of the holy God, I embrace your feet. I

fallen away from our Lord and his promhave committed many sins; do not punish ise. But I believe that by repenting he

my sins if you have some true faith in

will have mercy on me. For the Almighty

Christ, whom you preach. If you rememis faithful to forgive my sins.” And Peter ber the commandments, to hate none, to

said with a loud voice, “Glory and praise

do no evil to anyone, as I have learned

be unto our Lord, Almighty God, Father

from your fellow-apostle Paul, do not

of our Lord Jesus Christ. To you be praise

consider my sins but pray for me to the

and honor for ever and ever. Amen. Since

Lord, the holy Son of God, whom I anyou have now fully strengthened us and gered by persecuting his servants. Pray,

fully established us in you in the sight of

therefore, for me, like a good advocate

all who see it, holy Lord, confirm Marof God, that I may not be given over with cellus and give him and his house your

the sins of Simon to the everlasting fire.

peace today. But all who are lost or err

For by his persuasion it came about that

ing, you alone can restore. We worship

I erected a statue to him with the followyou, O Lord, the Shepherd of the sheep ing inscription: “To Simon, the young

which once were scattered, but now will

god.’ If I knew, Peter, that you could be

be brought together through you. So rewon over with money I would give you ceive Marcellus also as one of your

all my property. I would give it to you,

sheep, and do not permit him to walk

to save my soul. If I had sons I would

about any longer in error or in ignorance

esteem them for nothing if only I could

but receive him among the number of

believe in the living God. I confess, howyour sheep. Yes, Lord, receive him, since ever, that he seduced me only because he

he beseeches you with sorrow and with

said that he was the power of God. Nevtears.”

ertheless I will tell you, dearest Peter: I

was not worthy to hear you, servant of

God, and I was not firmly established in

11 Having thus spoken, and

the belief in God which is in Christ: for

having embraced Marcellus,

this reason I was made to stumble. I pray

Peter turned to the multitude who stood

you, therefore, be not angry at what I am

beside him, when he saw one man laughabout to say. Christ our Lord, whom you ing, in whom was a very bad devil. Peter

preach in truth, said to your fellow-

said to him, “Whoever you are who have

apostles in your presence, ‘If you have

been laughing, show yourself in public.”

faith like a grain of mustard-seed, you

When the young man heard this he ran

will say to this mountain: Remove yourinto the courtyard of the house, cried with self, and at once it shall move.’3 But this

a loud voice, threw himself against the

Simon called you, Peter, an unbeliever,

wall, and said, “Peter, there is a mighty

because you lost faith on the water. And

I heard that he also said, ‘Those who are

with me understood me not.’ If, therefore,

3Matt 17:20.

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NON-CANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

contest between Simon and the dog,

the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of my

which you sent inside. For Simon says to

God, by whom all things impossible bethe dog, ‘Say I am not here.’ But the dog come possible.

tells him more things than you commanded. And when he has fulfilled your And Simon, being inside;

12

wish he will die at your feet.” And Peter

spoke thus to the dog, “Tell Pesaid, “Demon, whoever you are, in the ter that I am not in.” But the dog said to

name of our Lord Jesus Christ depart

him in the presence of Marcellus, “You

from this young man without hurting

most wicked and shameless man, worst

him. Show yourself to all present.” When

enemy of all who live and believe in

the young man heard this he rushed for

Christ Jesus. A dumb animal, which reward, took hold of a large marble statue, ceived a human voice, has been sent to

which stood in the courtyard of the

you to convict you and to prove that you

house, and kicked it to pieces. It was a

are a cheat and deceiver. Did it require

statue of Caesar. When Marcellus saw

so many hours for you to say, ‘Say I am

this he beat his forehead and said to Peter,

not here!’ You have not been ashamed to

“A great crime has been committed, for

lift up your weak and useless voice

should Caesar hear of it through one of

against Peter, the servant and apostle of

his spies he will greatly punish us.” Peter

Christ, as if you could be hidden from

answered, “I see that you are not the man

him who told me to speak to your face.

you were a short time ago when you said

And this is not for your sake, but on

you were ready to spend everything for

account of those whom you deceived and

the salvation of your soul. But if you are

brought to perdition. You shall therefore

truly repentant and believe in Christ with

be accursed, enemy and destroyer of the

all your heart, take running water into

way of Christ’s truth. He shall punish